The invention disclosed herein arose out of a need to further simplify the constructions in my earlier vacuum receiver products represented by the teachings in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,583,885 and 5,776,217. In order to dismantle the aforesaid vacuum receivers, several complicated steps need to be taken in order to effect the removal of the components that deliver the gas entrained particulate to the interior of the vacuum receiver. During use of these vacuum receivers, time is usually of the essence and, therefore, any reduced amount of down time for servicing purposes will be appreciated by the end user.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a vacuum receiver that separates a granular product from an incoming air stream and delivers the particulate to a vacuum receiver vessel, wherein the structure for delivering the gas entrained particulate to the vacuum receiver is configured to be in a slip-fit relation to the vacuum receiver to enable it to be simply removed from the vacuum receiver without removal of the lid covering the top of the vacuum receiver.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a vacuum receiver, as aforesaid, wherein the gas entrained particulate delivery structure includes a housing with an interior chamber that is larger in cross section than an area of a perpendicular cross section of a gas entrained particulate delivering pipe so that the deceleration of the particles prior to their entry into the vacuum receiver occurs before the particles enter the vacuum receiver.
A further object of the invention is to provide a vacuum receiver, as aforesaid, wherein the entry port into the vacuum receiver includes an elongate pipe which has a plurality of circumferentially and lengthwise spaced perforations along a length thereof to facilitate the flow of gas therethrough and to reduce the amount of gas flowing out through the outlet end of the pipe.
A further object of the invention is to provide a vacuum receiver, as aforesaid, wherein the structure that effects a deceleration of the particles is contained on a removable plate forming a wall of the interior chamber to thereby enable removal of the plate and a replacement thereof with a new one.
A further object of the invention is to provide a vacuum receiver, as aforesaid, wherein a downwardly inclined ramp surface is provided between a region adjacent a lower edge of the removable plate and an entrance from the interior chamber into the vacuum receiver so as to facilitate the movement of slowed particles from the plate to and into the entry port to the vacuum receiver.
A further object of the invention is to provide a vacuum receiver, as aforesaid, wherein the inlet pipe delivering gas entrained particulate to the interior chamber is slidingly secured in the inlet opening of the housing and is removable from the housing through an opening created when the removable plate is removed.
A further object of the invention is to provide a vacuum receiver, wherein the inlet opening to the vacuum receiver is oriented directly above the particle receiving vessel and a second opening into the particle receiving vessel and to which a suction blower is connected is oriented on an axis that is wholly outside the peripheral boundary of the particle receiving vessel, with the lid for the vacuum receiver further including structure defining a passageway extending from the particle receiving vessel to the aforesaid second opening. A reciprocal valve mechanism is mounted in the passageway with a drive motor therefor being mounted on the exterior part of the passageway to facilitate easy access thereto.